Le'Veon Bell Called Out By Steelers Teammates Amid Holdout

Whether Bell reports or not, some of his teammates are frustrated with the three-time Pro Bowler. After telling the team he'd be in Pittsburgh on Labor Day, Bell didn't show.

Bell rushed for 1,291 yards (third in the NFL) on 321 carries with nine TDs, in addition to 85 receptions (2nd most on Steelers) for 655 yards and two scores last season.

"I'd like to say that the linemen are far more important than any skill position, including myself, on this team so this offense is more than just one back", Roethlisberger said. Yes, this is the second straight franchise tag to which Bell has been shackled, and you can't blame a player for fighting for every last penny he thinks he's worth. A veteran Steeler told ESPN they waited to criticize Bell after he did not report Monday, giving him a chance to come in Wednesday.

Then there's this interesting observation (via The Athletic's Mark Kaboly) from OG David DeCastro on whether Bell would be welcomed back into the Steelers' locker room after potentially missing games: "I don't know, it's kind of awkward".

While many of his teammates have shown their frustration and called the superstar running back out, Antonio Brown is going a different route.

However, since he did receive the tag offer, Bell has until Week 11 of the season to sign in order to earn the right to become a free agent in 2019.

"Why play hide and seek?" he said. This is now the ingrained attitude in football, and to an extent in all sports: teams can do whatever they want in the name of sound business, but athletes should shut up and play. If Bell arrives in time to hop on is anyone's guess. "As long as we win, I'm cool".

"He's making seven times what I make twice as much as (left tackle) Al (Villanueva) is making and we're the guys who do it for him".

NOTES: The Steelers signed RB Trey Edmunds, the older brother of rookie safety Terrell Edmunds, to the practice squad and released RB Jarvion Franklin. Bill Belichick alone goes through players like a wheat thresher and he is generally lauded for his willingness to be nakedly disloyal.